Dresden Elementary School

Summary:

Dresden Elementary School is a small public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in the town of Dresden, Maine, which is part of the Regional School Unit 02 district. With just 71 students, the school stands out for its low student-teacher ratio, high chronic absenteeism, and academic performance that lags behind many of the surrounding schools.

While Dresden Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of white students compared to nearby schools, it faces challenges in student achievement. In the 2022-2023 school year, only 32.14% of students were proficient or better in mathematics, well below the district and state averages. The school's English Language Arts proficiency rate of 64.29% was also slightly below regional and state levels. Additionally, Dresden Elementary has a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 41.6%, substantially higher than the surrounding schools. These factors suggest the school is struggling to support student learning and engagement.

Interestingly, despite its small class sizes and low student-teacher ratio, which range from 6.9 to 7.8 over the past three years, Dresden Elementary's academic performance lags behind many of the Regional School Unit 12 and Regional School Unit 11 schools in the area, such as Libby-Tozier School and Laura E Richards School. This suggests that factors beyond just the student-teacher ratio may be contributing to the school's academic challenges.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

86 Cedar Grove Road
Dresden, ME 04342

(207) 737-2559

District: Regional School Unit 02

SchoolDigger Rank:
222^nd of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $26,448

Students who attend Dresden Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Hall-Dale Middle and High School

Student/teacher ratio: 7.2

Number of students: 80

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.5%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dresden Elementary School ranks worse than 76.6% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 02 District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.08. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Dresden Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Regional School Unit 02 District. Racial makeup is: White (97.5%), Hispanic (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Regional School Unit 02 District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dresden Elementary School is 7.2, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 02 District! (See more...)

Compare Dresden Elementary School employs 11.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dresden Elementary School is $26,448, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 02 District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dresden Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Regional School Unit 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 02 104^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dresden Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2012	47.81	145^th	258	43.8%
2013	53.51	118^th	261	54.8%
2015	80.70	62^nd	284	78.2%
2018	72.37	48^th	254	81.1%
2023	32.08	222^nd	290	23.4%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Maine Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Maine Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Dresden Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	103	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	106
2011	94	0	0	1	0	0	4	99
2012	89	1	0	0	1	0	1	92
2013	84	1	0	0	1	0	1	87
2014	83	1	0	0	1	0	1	86
2015	96	1	1	0	2	0	0	100
2016	93	0	1	0	0	0	0	94
2017	85	0	1	2	0	0	0	88
2018	80	0	0	0	0	0	0	80
2019	94	0	0	0	0	0	0	94
2020	90	0	0	0	0	0	1	91
2021	72	0	0	0	0	0	0	72
2022	71	0	0	0	0	0	1	72
2023	69	0	0	2	0	0	0	71
2024	78	0	0	2	0	0	0	80

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dresden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	106	11.9	8.9	40.6
2011	99	10.1	9.8	38.4
2012	92	10.3	8.9	n/a
2013	87	10.0	8.6	67.8
2014	86	11.1	7.7	58.1
2015	100	10.0	10.0	58
2016	94	9.0	10.4	52.1
2017	88	7.8	11.2	43.2
2018	80	8.2	9.7	42.5
2019	94	8.2	11.4	48.9
2020	91	8.1	11.1	51.6
2021	72	9.2	7.8	50
2022	72	10.3	6.9	38.9
2023	71	9.5	7.4	38
2024	80	11.1	7.2	42.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dresden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	106	11.9	8.9	40.6
2011	99	10.1	9.8	38.4
2012	92	10.3	8.9	n/a
2013	87	10.0	8.6	67.8
2014	86	11.1	7.7	58.1
2015	100	10.0	10.0	58
2016	94	9.0	10.4	52.1
2017	88	7.8	11.2	43.2
2018	80	8.2	9.7	42.5
2019	94	8.2	11.4	48.9
2020	91	8.1	11.1	51.6
2021	72	9.2	7.8	50
2022	72	10.3	6.9	38.9
2023	71	9.5	7.4	38
2024	80	11.1	7.2	42.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dresden Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$13,786
2019	$13,547
2020	$15,926
2021	$24,669
2022	$27,650
2023	$26,448

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dresden Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	94	71	24.5%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	2
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	94	69	26.6%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.9%	38%	10.9%

Schools Near Dresden Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MEA English Language Arts (2023)	MEA Mathematics (2023)	MEA Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
Dresden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	86 Cedar Grove Road	Dresden	04342	Lincoln County	Regional School Unit 02	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 737-2559	80	11	7.2	42.5%	78 (97.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32.1	222^nd of 290 public elementary schools	23.4%					(n/a)	64.3	32.1		$26,448
River View Community School	Public	3-5	821 River Road	South Gardiner	04359	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-3402	187	15	12.2	33.7%	175 (93.6%)	3 (1.6%)	6 (3.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	47.1	175^th of 290 public elementary schools	39.7%		40.1	123^rd of 210 public elementary schools	41.4%	52	61.5	52.8	26.9	$15,465
Laura E Richards School	Public	PK, KG-2	279 Brunswick Avenue	Gardiner	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-3612	228	16	14.7	36.4%	222 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)								(n/a)				$14,801
Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School	Public	K-5	1023 Pittston School Street	Pittston	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-6268	199	15	13.1	44.2%	189 (95.0%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	55.2	145^th of 290 public elementary schools	50.0%					(n/a)	66.3	54.4	24.1	$17,356
Wiscasset Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	83 Federal Street	Wiscasset	04578	Lincoln County	Wiscasset Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 882-7767	191	24	7.8	42.4%	183 (95.8%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	38.2	202^nd of 290 public elementary schools	30.3%					(n/a)	56.1	54.4	18.5	$23,386
Helen Thompson School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 Spears Corner Road	West Gardiner	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	No	(207) 724-3930	257	19	13.3	31.9%	245 (95.3%)	2 (0.8%)	4 (1.6%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	46.7	176^th of 290 public elementary schools	39.3%		46.5	115^th of 210 public elementary schools	45.2%	61	62.7	51.7	25.0	$16,181
Whitefield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	164 Grand Army Road	Whitefield	04353	Lincoln County	Regional School Unit 12	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 549-7691	183	15	12.2	49.2%	176 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	69	98^th of 290 public elementary schools	66.2%		63.1	73^rd of 210 public elementary schools	65.2%	25	67.2	57.8	48.9	$19,856
Chelsea Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	566 Togus Road	Chelsea	04330	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 12	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-2214	278	36	7.7	54.7%	267 (96.0%)	5 (1.8%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31.4	223^rd of 290 public elementary schools	23.1%		49	104^th of 210 public elementary schools	50.5%	119	60.0	38.9	32.0	$20,461
Edgecomb Eddy School	Public	PK, KG-6	51 Emery Drive	Edgecomb	04556	Lincoln County	Edgecomb Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 882-5515	101	11	8.8	47.5%	94 (93.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.0%)	59.8	128^th of 290 public elementary schools	55.9%		39.8	124^th of 210 public elementary schools	41.0%	4	62.0	60.0		$25,082
Libby-Tozier School	Public	PK-K	466 Academy Road	Litchfield	04350	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 04	No	No	No	No	(207) 375-4273	144	10	14.8	38.2%	136 (94.4%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.8%)								(n/a)				$17,378

Frequently Asked Questions about Dresden Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Dresden Elementary School?

Students at Dresden Elementary School are 98% White, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Dresden Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dresden Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Hall-Dale Middle and High School

How many students attend Dresden Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 80 students attended Dresden Elementary School.

Is Dresden Elementary School a good school?

Dresden Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.4% of Maine elementary schools.

What district is Dresden Elementary School in?

Regional School Unit 02

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maine Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.